President Trump announces the U.S. will withdraw from Paris climate change accord
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says the United States will immediately cease "all implementation" of Paris climate change accord standards.
Pres. Trump announced Thursday that the United States is withdrawing from the landmark 190-nation agreement to reduce earth-warming gases.
The president said that the nation would stop adhering to the emissions reductions standards immediately. The agreement was nonbinding.
Pres. Trump painted the original deal as "unfair" to American workers and taxpayers, suggesting that other countries had more favorable agreements.
He also said that the United States would be willing to re-enter the deal on "better terms."
The announcement fulfills one of Pres. Trump's top campaign pledges.
Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner issued the following statement on this matter:
“President Obama bypassed the Constitution and entered the United States into a losing agreement when he committed the country to the Paris Climate Accord. Knowing he could not get Senate approval for a treaty, Obama sidelined Congress and called the deal an “executive agreement.”
“The agreement, which does not hold all nations to the same standards, forces the U.S. to reduce emissions immediately while allowing global polluters, such as China and India, to expand their carbon footprints through the 2020s. This is not only bad for the environment, but it puts the U.S. at a severe economic disadvantage.
“Further, it hurts Wisconsin. Coal provides more than half of our state’s net electricity generation, and our manufacturers already pay more for electricity than most of our neighboring states. This means higher electricity costs to Wisconsin’s consumers, a less competitive state, and stunted economic growth.
“I applaud President Trump for putting America first and leaving this unfair climate agreement. We all want cleaner air and water, but we can achieve these goals without handicapping the country and outsourcing jobs to foreign countries.”